Russia brands exiled news channel ‘undesirable’

MOSCOW: Russia on Tuesday labelled the exiled television channel Dozhd an “undesirable” organisation, a branding that puts staff and viewers who share its reports at risk of criminal prosecution.

The outlet headquartered in the Netherlands relocated and began broadcasting outside Russia after Moscow launched large-scale hostilities in Ukraine last year.

Prosecutors said Dozhd “systematically” violated Russian media laws, distributed “extremist materials” and false information about Russia´s role in the conflict.

In a statement, the channel said it would study the decision but announced several immediate measures to safeguard audiences inside Russia.

“... we are disabling donations from Russia, cancelling existing subscriptions from Russians and urge you not to share links to our materials if you live in the Russian Federation -- this is now unsafe,” the outlet wrote on social media.

The prosecutor´s announcement is the latest in a series of measures Moscow has taken to sideline independent media in Russia, where state-sponsored media promote pro-Kremlin narratives and laud the military intervention in Ukraine.

Dozhd initially set up operations in EU and Nato member state Latvia, which accused them of violating media regulations, spurring management to subsequently move to the Netherlands.